


And The Kitchen Sink

by itishawkeye



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Rape/Non-con Elements, Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 14:26:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6054907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itishawkeye/pseuds/itishawkeye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He wants revenge?” She asks.</p><p>“No,” Tim replies, quiet, voice quavering. “He wants me. ”</p><p>When the going gets tough, Cassandra Cain is the one you want on your side. But in this case, even she might not be enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It’s raining in Gotham. Torrential, downpour, buckets of water pouring from the sky and Cass is glad she declined Dick’s offer to patrol while she’s in town. Sure, she misses the way the city feels when she’s flying over it, but she’s here to rest and regroup. Her safe-house was stocked with fresh food and clean blankets when she got here, and she makes a mental note to thank Alfred for that the next time they talk. She sits by the window with a mug of hot chocolate and watches the rain pour down outside her window.

She’s so mesmerized that she almost misses the sound of the lock on her door being picked. She’s up and melting into the shadows, tense and battle-ready, in a matter of seconds. Every bit of relaxation she had felt melting away too easily.

The door opens and her shoulders drop.

It’s Tim. Soaked to the bone in a dark sweatshirt and jeans. There are dark circles beneath his obviously distracted gaze and something in the lines of his body screams _wrong, wrong, wrong._

“Tim,” She says, revealing herself, and he jumps into a fighting stance out of reflex.

Normally he’s one of the few people she can't surprise.

“Cass,” He replies. “I didn't think you’d be here.”

She frowns. “Then what are you doing here?”

“I needed- my safe houses were compromised.”

“All of them?” Cass asks.

Tim nods and he looks so tired. “I was going to be out in the morning, I just need a place-”

“What’s wrong, Tim?”

Tim stand there for a moment, looking around as if telling her the problem will make it appear.

“It’s Ra’s. He’s after me.”

Cass freezes. The name brings ice to her veins. If Ra’s was after Tim… He couldn't handle that on his own. Why hadn't he called anyone? Why hadn't he called _her_?

“He wants revenge?” She asks.

“No,” Tim replies, quiet, voice quavering. “He wants _me._ ”

If Cass had ice in her veins before then she’s frozen solid now.

Tim shivers and pushes his dripping hair out of the way of his eyes. He stares at the floor.

Cass wraps her hand around his wrist and the cold practically radiates off him.

“You need a shower, and dry clothes,” Cass decides.

She needs to deal with the here and now before she can figure the rest out. She pushes Tim toward her bathroom, shoving some sweatpants into his hands. He looks grateful and when she hears the shower turn on she immediately pulls out her phone.

“Dick, there’s a problem.”

 

***

 

When Tim finally emerges from the bathroom freshly showered and slightly less worse for wear, Cass pats the seat next to her, facing the window, and hands him a mug of tea. He sits down next to her, falling into the couch with a sigh that reveals just how bone-tired he is.

Even dry and warmed up, Tim still feels cold.

He stares out the window at the rain still surging from the sky and doesn’t turn to look back at her, even when she starts speaking.

“How long?”

Tim is tense beside her, mouth drawn in a grin line. “Since Bruce went missing. When Dick didn't believe me, I didn't know where else to go. It- it wasn't that a big a deal at first.”

Cass wraps her arm and the blanket that’s around her around Tim. He leans into the warmth. She can tell he’s not ready to tell her everything. She’s not going to push it.

“When was the last time you slept?” She asks.

“A couple of days,” Tim mumbles into her shoulder.

Tim always had a talent for understatement. Cass puts him at going on five days, but that’s just an estimate.

“Bed time,” She tells him and he rolls his eyes, but doesn't complain.

She grabs the extra blankets out of the closet and piles them all onto the bed to (hopefully) get some warmth into him and promises she’ll go to sleep soon, too.

She meets Dick on the balcony. He’s already taking refuge from the rain under her awning, still in his Nightwing uniform and just as soaked as Tim had been when he first showed up.

“How is he?” Dick asks.

“Not good,” Cass informs him. “Paranoid. Exhausted.”

“Oh god,” Dick says, running a gloved hand over his face. “Ra’s Al Ghul?”

Cass nods. “He won’t talk about it.”

Dick sighs and leans against the wall. “Shit. We need to tell Bruce.”

Cass shakes her head. “He won’t want to. We’ll just push him away and he’ll try to handle it himself. You need to talk to him.”

Dick lets out a heavy sigh and throws his head back against the wall. Cass can see his breath in the cold, and the frustration behind his eyes. “Why won’t he just let us help him?”

“You know,” Cass replies because he does.

He knows that Tim is still scared that if he asks too much they’ll leave. Is still scared of being alone again. Dick learned that the the hard way when Bruce was missing. When all this started.

Dick looks guilty. It’s not really his fault. It’s just… The universe. For doing this to Tim again and again.

“Is he asleep?” Dick asks.

Cass nods. “You should too. We can do this in the morning.”

“Yeah,” Dick says. “In the morning.”

 

***

 

Cass opens her eyes the next day to find Tim already awake, and watching her cautiously from his spot on the bed next to her. She stretches, taking a moment for the stresses of yesterday to return to her.

“Dick is asleep on the couch,” She tells Tim.

“You called him?”

Cass nods. She won't lie to Tim. Not now. “I needed help. You needed help.”

Tim shifts on to his back and stares at the ceiling. “You didn't need to do that, Cass. I’ll be okay.”

Cass shakes her head. “No. Not without us.”

Tim shakes his a head a little and then stands, looking away from her as he stretches.

“I need some coffee,” He says.

She gets up and follows him into the kitchen. Dick is still passed out on the couch but his eyes open when Tim starts rooting around in her cabinets. Out of all of them, even Bruce, Dick is is lightest sleeper.  

“Morning,” Cass says as he rubs the sleep out of his eyes.

“Yeah,” he grumbles. “Morning.”

He gets up and heads to the kitchen grabbing two mugs just in time to stop Tim from drinking directly out of the pot (which every bat has seen him do at least once).

“You want some Cass?” Dick asks.

“No. Tea for me,” She replies, maneuvering around him to reach her tea bags.

Dick leans against the counter across from where is slumped over the table.

“Alright so I’m just gonna jump right in here, Tim. What happened?”

Tim rubbed his forehead, sighing. “Listen, I know you're worried. But I can-”

“Handle this? You don't have to, Tim. We’re family here. This is what we do. I know you would do it for me. Or for Cass.”

Tim just shakes his head. “You don’t have to take care of me.”

“We want to. _I_ want to,”

Dick and Tim’s eyes lock and for a long moment, Tim is silent, considering his options.

“Okay,” He says.

Cass can still see his insecurity, but at least he’s willing to let them help, now.

“What happened?” She questions.

“You know I got caught up with the League while I was searching for Bruce. Ra’s sent me some help in the form of some assassins, but things went South. Don’t freak out, but I lost my spleen.”

“You. What? Tim. Why didn't you tell us?” Dick interjects, clearly freaking out.

“It’s not a big deal-”

“Not a big deal? Tim why didn’t you tell us? If you had gotten hurt-”

“Because I didn’t want you to freak out!” Tim exclaims.

Dick opens his mouth to speak again but Cass cuts him off before he can make things worse. “Tim, you aren’t going to stop us from worrying about you. We care about you, and nothing you say is going to change that,” She turns toward Dick. “Now we know and we can’t change the past, so let’s move on.”

They are both silent for a moment, Tim staring into his coffee like if he doesn’t look at them they won't notice him and Dick staring at her with a mix of surprise and respect.

“So, you lost your spleen?” Dick prompts and Tim nods into his coffee cup.

“I woke up next to the Lazarus Pit. For a minute I thought… I thought I had died. I tried to fight my way out but I just ripped the stitches from my surgery. They had Tam, and I was too weak. But Ra’s made the mistake of letting me into his computer system. By the time the council of spiders attacked I was ready to take them both out, and you know what happened after that.”

Dick nods, taking a large sip of coffee. “When did Ra’s contact you next?”

“It was about a month and a half later. He had the decency to wait for me to recover, I guess. He sent a couple of assassins, but it wasn't much of a challenge for me to take them down. They came with a note. _You have potential._ It wasn’t bad for a couple of months. Some assassins here and there. Clues and puzzles to solve. He was testing me. And then, suddenly, there was a lot more assassins. Ra’s came to Gotham. I had to move fast- I burned through all my identities. He wouldn't stop chasing me. Everywhere I went he found me. He knew all my identities so my safe houses were compromised. That was why I came here. I thought it would be empty and I could just close my eyes…”

Cass can tell there’s something he’s holding back. Something he doesn't want to say. That worries her because she knows about Ra’s. She is painfully aware of what could _interest_ him so much about Tim besides his crime-fighting abilities.

She’s not going to push the issue right now. Definitely not with Dick here. After this has all calmed down, maybe.

Tim is silent. He still looks so exhausted. Ra’s has been chasing him non-stop for at least a week.

“We need to tell Bruce,” Dick says. “Even the three of us can’t deal with this alone.”

Tim is silent, which Dick seems to take as confirmation, because he takes out his phone and walks out on to the balcony to make the call.

Tim doesn’t protest.

“Tim,” Cass says, and he looks up at her. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” Tim says, quietly.

She doesn't, either.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim, Cass, and Dick go to the cave for help.

They sneak out of the building after night falls. Tim pulls the hood of his sweatshirt up to hide his face. Dick pulls a baseball cap on and Cass wraps a scarf around her, hiding the bottom half of her face. They walk a winding path through the city, avoiding cameras as much as possible, fake laughing and talking the entire way, as though everything is perfectly fine. But, Tim’s shoulder are rigid when she throws an arm around him casually. And all of them are watching the shadows.

It only takes them half an hour to make their way to the cave but if feels a lot longer. 

Bruce and Alfred are waiting for them, obviously tense.

“Where’s Damian?” Dick questions.

“Upstairs. I haven't informed him of the… situation yet.” Bruce replies.

Damian might not take the news that his grandfather is after his adoptive brother, no matter how much he claims to dislike Tim. 

Bruce turns toward Tim, a mixture of relief at seeing him safe and concern for his current situation on his face. 

“Are you injured?” Bruce asks, showing concern in the only way he really knows how.

Tim shakes his head. “Just a whole lot of bruises.”

“Why don’t you let Alfred take a look, just in case, and you can give me the run-down?” Bruce says like it’s a question, even though they all know it’s an order.

Tim sighs and sits down on the medical cot they keep in the cave, removing his shirt so Alfred can look him over. He starts telling Bruce about what happened, but she doesn't listen. Her eyes are frozen on the hand shaped bruises across Tim’s arms. 

She glances over at Dick and she can see the way his eyes linger there too. His eyes look haunted and she’s wondering if he’s imagining how Tim got them or if he’s remembering his own experiences.

She’s torn away from her thoughts when Bruce speaks again. 

“Okay. First things first we need to find Ra’s base. Dick, you and I are going to canvas the city for ninjas. Tim, for the time being, you need to stay out of sight, in the cave. And I don't want you going anywhere alone. Cass, you stay with him. And Alfred, can you stay upstairs and keep an eye on Damian? I don't want him to have contact with any members of the league.” 

They all nod and then Bruce is off, with Dick in tow.

“I’ll bring supper down here for the two of you in a bit,” Alfred informs them as he heads up the stairs to deal Damian.

“Thanks, Alfred,” Tim says.

After the door at the top of the stair closes, Cass turns back toward Tim. He gets up from the medical cot and wraps his sweatshirt around himself, hiding the bruises from sight. He heads toward the consul, ready to monitor Bruce and Dick on their search for Ra’s, but Cass puts on his shoulder before he can pass her.

“We need to talk.”

“About what?” Tim asks, resigned and cautious. 

Cass looks into his eyes, hoping her concern comes through. “Are you okay?”

“Of course,” Tim replies.

“That’s not what you said yesterday.”

_ “Are you okay?” _

_ “I don't know.” _

Tim shakes his head. “I was just tired, Cass. I’m stressed, sure, this is a tough situation, but I’m fine.”

Sometimes she hates how good he is at lying. She wonders how many times his easy deflections and deceptions have gotten past her. How many times had he shouldered the load alone? He would have with this, too, if she hadn't dropped into Gotham unexpectedly. He would have spent the night in her safe house and continued on his own and she would have never known. She doesn't want to think about that. About how this might of (still could) turned out. 

“Tim. Please don't lie to me. Not about this.”

Tim goes back to staring at the ground instead of looking at her, exactly like he did yesterday. “It’s not a big deal,” He mumbles.

Cass takes a deep breath. She’s just needs to face this head on.

“Tim those bruises…” 

And Tim’s head snaps up, she knows he knows exactly which bruises she’s talking about. The ones that look like somebody grabbed him from behind and held on too tight. 

“Did he-” Cass tries to continue, but Tim cuts her off.

“Please don’t. Please don't say it. I don't- I don’t think I can talk about this right now.”

There are tears welling in his eyes, and they both know the answer to the question she hasn’t asked. Cass takes a step forward and wraps her arms around him, and Tim practically melts into the hug, shaking with unshed tears and unsaid words. 

“You’ll be okay, Tim.” She whispers, and she hopes to God it’s true. 

They stay like for a while, Tim’s hands bunched up in the back of her sweatshirt and Cass’s rubbing little circles across his back. They don't break apart until there’s a stern cry of “Master Damian!” Above them and the door to the cave bursts open. 

Damian practically leaps down the stairs, (Alfred hurrying after him), calling “I demand to know what is going on that you would keep out of the cave, father- oh.”

Damian takes in the sight of them, Tim’s tear streaked-face and her clenched fists and freezes. 

“Where is my father? And Grayson?” Is the first thing Damian asks, poorly concealed concern coating the words. 

“They’re fine,” Tim reassures him immediately. “They’re just out looking for some clues.” 

Damian blinks for a minute. “Then why are you standing here crying like a girl? We should go out and help them immediately.”

“Damian!” Alfred scolds

Tim doesn’t respond for a moment, just staring at Damian like he’s trying really hard to ignore the comment and forgive him. But then his anger must win out because he turns around and stalks away to one of the rooms off the cave. Cass moves to follow him, but Alfred stops her.

“Please, let me handle this one.”

She nods and Alfred follows Tim.

“What’s going on, Cain?” Damian demands.

He’s trying to look tough but she can tell he’s scared and worried. She doubts he’s ever seen Tim cry before. He’s probably wondering what could have possibly caused this. Caused all of them to act so weird. She knows Bruce didn't want him to know but she knows that if she doesn't tell him he’s just as likely to go out to find out than if she does. 

“You can't go out there. Promise me.”

“Cain, this is ridiculous. Whatever it is, I am perfectly equipped to deal with it. Just tell me.”

“Promise me, Damian.”

Damian looks into her eyes and something shifts. The anger he holds fades away a bit.

“Okay. I promise.”

Once again, she takes a deep breath to steady herself.

“Ra’s is after Tim.”

The anger rushes back full force and she can see Damian physically fighting the urge to go back on his promise and grab his Robin costume. His hands clench into fists and his eyes grow hard but he doesn't leave and Cass counts that as win. Even if Bruce will be angry at her for telling him when he returns she knows she had to. Sometimes, Bruce has to realize he is wrong. 

“Why is he after Drake?” Damian asks.

Cass frowns. She thinks that Damian won’t realize the implications the way the rest of them have without  being explicitly told exactly what Ra’s interest in Tim is beyond taking him on as an apprentice, but she can’t be sure. She isn’t sure what Tim  _ wants  _ him to know. Telling Bruce and Dick was one thing, but Damian is another. Bruce and Dick have always looked after and helped Tim, and Tim has done the same for them. Damian and Tim are family but they don’t have that kind of relationship. 

But what would Damian infer if she didn’t tell him? He saw Tim crying- he knows this is more than just revenge like it was last time (last time which ended with Tim beaten to hell and kicked out of a window.) 

“He wants Tim as an… apprentice.” She says, carefully.

“Drake would never agree to that,” Damian scoffs.

Cass shakes her head. “He does not care if Tim  _ agrees. _ ” 

Damian goes quiet, and he tries to conceal it, but there is horror in his eyes. 

 

***

 

They all sit in the cave for a while after that, listening to Dick and Bruce talk over the comms. They report multiple sighting on ninjas across the cities, presumably out searching for Tim, but there’s not enough of them in one place to try and pin-point a central location for them.

Bruce must have gotten Barbara on the case as well, though, because eventually she sends them an update.

“Nightwing, Batman, something is going down in Cobble Hill. Might be Ra’s.”

“Thanks, O. Heading there now,” Dick says. 

The radio goes silent for a while, presumably while Dick and Bruce make their way toward Cobble Hill. Cass holds her breath, wishing she was out there doing something instead of waiting. 

Then-

“Shit!” Dick cries out and they are all immediately on their feet. 

Tim grabs the mic. “Nightwing status!” 

No response. 

“Nightwing! Batman! Status!”

No response. 

Tim’s hands are white where they grip the consul. “Damn it!” 

“Ra’s is on the move. All units be on alert, he’s heading toward the direction of the base. Motive unclear,” Dick’s voice cut through the tension, and Tim’s shoulders visibly drop. 

“Alfred,” Cass says. “Go upstairs.”

If Ra’s is heading this way they can’t be too careful. Tim and Damian both grab their masks. Alfred heads up the stairs- just in time - suddenly ninjas are are emerging from the entrances to the cave. 

“The base has been infiltrated. Repeat. The base has been infiltrated,” She hears Tim say urgently into the microphone. 

The first ninja reaches her and she goes into action. Kick. Punch. Flip. Elbow. It feels good, after all this worrying and waiting, to finally do something. She’s been itching for a fight and nothing could compare to how good it feels when her she takes another ninja down. She pushes all her anger at Ra’s Al Ghul for hurting Tim into her body and she  _ fights.  _

She hears a grown and the sound of Tim’s bo staff hitting flesh beside her, feels his presence at her back.

“How did they get past the security?” Tim calls.

“Worry about that  _ after  _ we take them all out.” Damian replies, flipping a ninja into the consul.

She catches sight of a blur of blue and black above her- Dick and and Bruce are here, which means…

“Enough!”

Ra’s Al Ghul stands near the entrance of the cave. He raises one hand above his head and all the ninjas that they haven’t taken down yet freeze. Cass doesn’t drop out of her fighting stance, but she doesn’t attack either. 

“All this violence is unnecessary. I only wish to talk.”

“Then talk,” Bruce growls. “And get out.” 

“A conversation goes two ways, Detective. And it is not you I wish to converse with.”

Ra’s eyes slide over to Tim, who is standing behind her. His grip on his bo staff tightens.

“What do you  _ want  _ with me?” Tim demands, voice low with anger and frustration.

“You have so much potential. That is what I want,” Ra’s says, like it’s obvious. As if Tim has no reason to not want this. “If you come with me, I could teach you so much. You could rule the world. Why would you say no to that?”

Tim glares. “I have no desire to be a tool on your belt, Ra’s.”

Ra’s grins. “Fine, Detective. If you do not want this, I will not force you. You have proven how… difficult it can be to get you to do  _ anything  _ you do want. But when you change your mind, and I know one day you will, I will be waiting. You will be mine.” 

Cass feels rage erupt from her, and she knows she is not alone in this. They have listened to Ra’s talk for long enough. Bruce charges at him, brutal and ready to strike, but Ra’s throws something, and a cloud of smoke emerges where he is standing. Cass coughs, and when the smoke dissipates the room is empty except for them.

Ra’s is gone, for now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took a lot longer to write than I thought it would. I'm still not sure exactly where this is going or if it's going to be any longer. I might post another chapter, dealing with more of the emotional fallout and getting into more details about what exactly happened to Tim before he got Cass's help.  
> Please follow me on tumblr! itishawkeye.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aftermath.

Cass was supposed to leave Gotham almost a full week ago. There are things waiting for her. Important things that she  _ needs  _ to do. 

But there are more important things here. 

There has been no sign of Ra’s in Gotham for almost four days and Bruce still hasn’t let Tim leave the manor. Tim has alternated between itching to get out and refusing to even leave his bed.

“Come on, Tim,” Dick says as he stands over Tim’s bed. “You have to get up.”

Cass stands behind him in the doorway of the room. She knows she’s hovering but she’s still feeling protective. (Ra’s words are hanging in her head.  _ You will be mine.  _ She’ll be damned before she let’s Ra’s take her little brother. She knows Dick feels the same way.)

Tim doesn’t even look up from where his face his shoved into the pillow. “I’m just tired. Let me sleep.” 

“You’ve been in bed all day, Tim. Just come and watch a movie with me or something. We can raid the cabinets for junk food,” Dick tries to tempt him. 

Tim just grunts and pulls his blanket up over his head. 

“That’s it,” Dick says and then he grabs the blanket and pulls. Tim tries to grab at it but Dick is too fast and the blanket is gone. 

Tim groans and finally pulls his head up to glare at Dick.

“Fine,” he says, and moves to stand. Tim grabs his blanket back from Dick and wraps it around his shoulders, still glaring. He does follow Dick down the hallway to the room with what had to be the biggest television screen in Gotham. Cass trails behind them.

Tim collapses on to the couch and Cass sits beside him. He hadn’t moved from his bed for almost twenty-four hours and yet he still looks the same exhausted as the day he showed up at her safe-house. 

“What do you want to watch?” Dick asks, moving to look at Bruce’s impressive collection of movies. 

“I don’t care,” Tim says.

Dick sighs heavily and turns toward her. “Cass?”

“Something with lots of aliens,” Cass says, even though she’s not really a fan of aliens. (Tim is.)

Tim rolls his eyes. “You can watch what you want, Cass. You don’t have to pick something I would like.”

Cass shakes her head. “I picked it because I want you to be happy,” she says honestly.

Tim sighs and leans his head against her shoulder. “No offense, Cass, but I don’t think a movie will help.”

“You have to start with the small things,” Cass replies, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. 

 

***

 

When Bruce finally lets Tim out of the manor, it’s Cass he goes out with. Dick pouts and tries to not actually be offended, but Tim needs to feel free and Dick and his protective big brother streak are not going to help that right now. Cass has always been more of an equal to Tim than Dick ever was. 

It’s clear out, with an almost full moon that illuminates the night sky quite well. It is a relatively quiet night in Gotham yet they are both more on edge than usual. They watch the shadows a little too closely. But nothing happens.

They stop a convenience store robbery and a drug deal with ease. For a while, it seems like everything is fine. Back to normal.

Then they stumble across an attempted rape. 

It’s not uncommon to run across it as a bat, sadly. They are easy to break up; the hard part is dealing with the victims. Especially if you didn’t make it as early as you could have. They are difficult cases for everyone but now…

Cass has seen the way Dick deals with them after what happened in Bludhaven. He’s detached and efficient, taking care of the problem with as little emotion as possible.

However, Cass has a feeling that’s now how Tim will be.

Tim drops into the alley before she even notices the scene. She follows, and when she lands Tim is already prying the rapist off of the victim. The man hits the hard, dirty concrete with a thud, but Tim doesn’t stop there. He kicks the man in the stomach. 

_ Please, please stop,  _ Cass thinks.

Tim kicks him again. And again. Cass can see his lip quiver like he’s holding back a sob and wishes that she could see his eyes behind his mask. 

“Red Robin!” Cass calls, and Tim looks up at her, startled like he had forgotten she was there. 

“There are more important things here,” Cass says, gesturing toward the victim, who is obviously drugged, still leaning heavily against the brick wall of the alleyway. 

Tim nods and moves away. He was always the best out of all of them of dealing with victims. Even Jason, who was surprisingly kind and easy to talk to, never had Tim’s talent for comfort. Cass always thought that if he had never become Robin he would have been involved in some kind of social work. 

She can hear Tim murmuring softly to the victim as she turns toward the rapist. He’s unconscious, probably had been since he hit the concrete, based on the lump on the back of his head, but his pulse is strong. There are bruises blooming across his abdomen, but as far as she can tell, Tim didn’t do much damage beyond a possibly cracked rib and a concussion. 

She hears the sound of gravel crunching under tires as a cop car pulls up to the alleyway and reaches for her grappling gun. She looks toward Tim to make sure he’s doing the same, and with a shared nod, they fly back off into the night. 

 

***

 

They both know that Bruce was monitoring their communications and they both know that he won’t be happy about what happened in the alleyway. Bruce will take this as a sign that Tim is losing control and possibly bench him again. Cass also knows that if Bruce tries to do that, Tim will leave the manor again. And quite honestly, none of them are comfortable with the idea of Tim being on his own again yet. Otherwise, Cass would have left Gotham, or at least have been staying at her own safe-house and they wouldn’t be pretending Dick didn’t turn down an offer from Wally to help him with a case in Peru that he would have normally accepted in a heartbeat. 

When they arrive at the cave, Bruce is clearly waiting for them, sitting at the consul with his arms crossed. Dick, more subtly, is at least pretending to be cleaning some of his armor. 

“Tim,” Bruce says. “What happened in that alleyway?”

“It was nothing, Bruce. I let my emotions get the better of me for a minute, but I barely even the hurt the guy. And it won’t happen again,” Tim replies, voice a little dismissive, as if this event is nothing to worry about.

“How can you know that for sure, Tim?” Bruce questions. “If you couldn’t control it now, how do you know you’re going to be able to control it later?”

“Because I do!” Tim yells. “I’m the one who felt what just happened and yeah, maybe I made made a mistake and maybe I lost control, but I got it back before anything serious could happen!”

“Because Cass was there,” Bruce reasons. “If you had been alone would you have been able to stop yourself? How am I supposed to trust you in the field? I don’t want to bench you-”

“You don’t  _ get  _ to bench me!” Tim cries. “You don’t get to decide where I go and what I do! When is everybody going to understand that you don’t  _ fucking  _ own me!” 

The room falls silent, except for Tim’s laboured breathing. 

Dick lays down the armour he was holding and stands up. “Of course, Tim. Nobody is trying to control you. We’re just worried. We just want to help.”

“I can take care of myself,” Tim says, quiet. 

“I know, We know,” Dick promises.

Tim closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. “I’m going to bed,” He says, finally, tired. 

He doesn’t even look at Bruce as he turns and heads up the stairs to the manor. 

 

***

 

When 4pm rolls around and there still hasn’t been as much as a peep from Tim’s room they begin to get antsy.

“I should go check on him,” Bruce finally says, failing to hide the worry in his eyes.

“No,” Cass stops him. “Let me.”

After what happened in the cave Tim won’t want to see Bruce. Any attempt Bruce makes to comfort him could be seen as another attempt at controlling him. Someone needs to talk to him and make sure he knows that isn’t the case before Bruce talks to him again.

Bruce understand this, and so he nods.

Cass heads up the stairs towards Tim’s room. She knocks on the heavy wooden door softly. There’s no response.

“Tim?” Cass says. “It’s Cass. Can I come in?” 

She knows it’s important that Tim is the one in control in this situation, but she’s fighting every instinct to just barge in and make sure he’s okay. There’s silence for a long moment before she hears the muffled answer. “Okay.”

Tim is sitting up in his bed, on top of the covers, wearing an old pair of sweatpants and a red sweatshirt she is pretty sure belongs to Jason. She moves across from him, sitting cross-legged on the mattress.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asks carefully. 

Tim takes a deep breath as if to steady himself. “It was just a normal fight,” Tim starts. “There were a bunch of ninjas there at first- I think they were just there to tire me out, honestly- but he sent them away, eventually. We fought for a while, and then I slipped up. I let him get a hold on me, and he grabbed from behind and then…” Tim trails off. 

“When he got… distracted I took the chance and broke his hold. I flipped him and he hit his head on a table. Got knocked out. And I just… ran.”

Tim wipes at his eyes, trying to hide the tears forming there. “He told me...told me he wouldn’t stop until he has me. That I was perfect. That I was the only one who was worthy. But I’m not. I don’t want to be.”

Cass has never wanted to hurt someone as much as she wanted to hurt Ra’s Al Ghul in that moment. She meets Tim’s eyes.

“You don’t belong to anyone,” Cass tells him. “You don’t have to be perfect and we still love you. We worry about you because we want to make sure you know that. But we aren’t trying to control you.” 

Tim moves forward and leans into her arms, and Cass hugs him, rubbing small circles across his back like she’s seen Dick do when he hugs Damian. 

Tim will be okay. He’s the strongest person she knows, and too many people care about him to let Ra’s Al Ghul make him do  _ anything  _ he doesn’t want to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this might be the end? I had absolutely no clue where this story was going or what was happening as I was writing it but I'm pretty sure this is the end. Please tell me what you think and please follow me on tumblr. itishawkeye.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason comes back to Gotham

Jason comes back to Gotham for the week when the team decided to part ways. The last mission had been rough and Kori and Roy had decided that they all needed a break. And Jason wasn’t sure where else to go except Gotham. (It was a shithole but it was still home. Gotham made him.)

Besides, it had been too long since he’d seen any of the Bats. They got of his nerves but just like Gotham was home the Bats were  _ family. _

He doesn’t contact any of them to let them know he’s going to be in town, figuring he’ll run into one of them on the streets. 

Sure enough, he spots a hunched figure sitting on the ledge of a roof only five minutes after he leaves. 

He recognizes the red as Tim and lands on the roof beside him. The kid doesn’t even react. Must have seen him coming.

“What’s up, Replacement?”

Tim turns to face him. “Jason? When did you get to town?”

There’s something… off about Tim, but Jason can’t quite put his finger on what it is. He moves to sit next to the kid on the ledge of the building, looking carefully at his face. 

“Just got here,” He answers Tim’s question.

Tim grins at him sloppily. “I missed you? I missed you.”

He slurs a little and… You’re fucking kidding him.

“Are you drunk, Pretender?”

“No. Maybe a little,” Tim replies unsteadily. 

Jason glances down at the ground far below nervously, praying he’s not going to have to jump off the building after Tim. 

Jason sighs. “Why are you drunk? You’re not even twenty-one.”

“I think I’ve earned it. It’s been a rough month,” Tim defends. 

Jason has seen Tim deal with some serious shit like it nothing. He wonders how rough it would have to be to get him this messed up. Then again, maybe the stresses had just built and become too much. God knows the kid had too fucking much on his plate.

Tim sways a little and Jason reaches out a hand to steady him.

“Well,” Jason says. “Why don’t we take this party off the roof and get you back to your safe house?”

“Okay,” Tim replies, and then frowns. “I don't remember where it is.” 

“You… Don't remember where your own safe house is? Damn. You are wasted.”

“Am not!” Tim defends. “It’s just a new safe house.”

“Well, I’ll take you back to the manor,” Jason tries to placate, but this just seems to make Tim even more distressed. 

“Ugh, no!” He says. “I’m sick of the manor. Everyone’s all  _ Tim are you okay? Tim do you need anything?  _ And they never listen when I tell that I’m fine.”

Jason bites back a laugh at Tim’s impression of who he assumes is Dick. The replacement wobbles again and Jason grabs his arm to steady him. He really needs to get Tim off this roof.

“Okay. So no manor. I guess we could go back to my place,” Jason offers.

Tim frowns again, contemplating this idea. “Okay.”

“Alright,” Jason says, watching as Tim stands and staggers slightly to the left. Jesus how did the kid even get up here without accidentally killing himself? “How about we take the stairs?”

 

***

 

They somehow make it to Jason’s safe-house with little incident. Luckily, it wasn’t far from the building where he found Tim. The kid pretty much collapses on to Jason’s couch the minute they walk in the door and passes the fuck out. All that’s left for Jason to do is pray that he’s not cleaning up puke later that night. 

He hadn’t thought he would be spending the night taking care of a drunk Tim Drake. Hell, he never thought he would be taking care of a drunk Tim Drake period. The situation is both hilarious and worrying. Hilarious because Tim god damn Drake is drunk and passed out on his couch and Jason can probably hold this over his head forever. Worrying because what the hell made goody-two-shoes and underage Tim Drake decide to drink a fucking liquor store? 

He’s broken out of his thoughts by the sound of his cell phone buzzing. The Caller ID reads Dick and he cracks a grin when he sees it. This could be fun.

“Hello?” Jason answers, not bothering to try and be quiet because Tim is  _ out  _ right now.

“Hey, Jason,” Dick says, and Jason can already hear the undercurrent of worry straining his voice. “Listen, I know it’s a long shot, but you haven’t heard from Tim, have you?”

“Kid is currently passed out on my couch so yes, I have heard from him.”

“Oh thank god,” Dick breathes. “Are you in Gotham?”

“Yeah. Just got here an hour ago and was greeted by a fall-down-drunk ex-Robin.”

“He was drunk?” Dick says, surprised. 

“ _ Very  _ drunk. I was afraid he was going to fall off the building,” Jason informs him. 

“Oh god. Shit. Why does he have to make this so hard?” Dick sighs.

“Why are you so clingy, anyway? He did a great impression of your helicopter-mom act, by the way,” Jason inquires, leaning back in his chair.

“It’s… it’s been a rough month,” Dick replies cryptically. 

Jason sits up straight then, curiosity and worry causing him to hold back some sarcastic responses to such a bullshit answer. “Yeah… that’s what the kid said. What’s going on?”

“Well, the details are up to Tim, but… Ra’s Al Ghul came after him. He wanted to take Tim on as his  _ apprentice.  _ And he didn’t exactly care what Tim thought about that.”

Motherfucker. Ra’s motherfucking Al Ghul. Shit. And Jason has an idea of just what being Ra’s  _ apprentice  _ would truly mean. That’s… the kid was right. He deserved to get drunk for a night. 

“Why didn’t anyone call me? And where the fuck is Ra’s now so I can blow his fucking head off?” Jason demands. 

“Tim didn’t even come to us for weeks. By the time we came into the picture things were already moving too fast. All his identities were already blown. Safe-houses compromised. And then Ra’s forced a confrontation. There wasn’t much time. And honestly… we don’t know where Ra’s is. We managed to keep track of him for a barely a week after he left Gotham. He seemed to be leaving Tim alone, for now, at least. But when he went missing today I thought…”

Jason takes a deep breath, trying to calm the anger building in his stomach. 

“Did he…” Jason can’t finish

“I don't really know all the details,” Dick evades. 

Jason wants to push it. To find out exactly what Dick knows. But he glances at Tim passed out on his couch and he can't bring himself to do it. It’s Tim’s story and if anyone is going to tell it it’s going to be Tim. 

He promises Dick he’ll make sure Tim doesn't do anything stupid before he hangs up.

 

***

 

Jason wakes up the next morning earlier than usual to the sound of someone rummaging around in his cabinets.

Tim is leaning over his coffee maker, rubbing his temples to combat against with what Jason is sure is one killer hangover. 

“Morning, sunshine. You want some aspirin?” Jason says, a little too cheerfully.

“Hell yes I do,” Tim replies.

Jason opens the cabinet next to him and hands him the bottle Jason keeps there. Tim pops one into his mouth and collapses into the chair at the kitchen table.

“Food?” Jason and questions.

Tim groans.

“How about some toast? You need to something, Kid. You’re a fucking stick.”

“I am not a stick,” Tim defends. “I’m just lean.”

Jason just laughs and moves to grab the bread. 

“So, what was with the underage drinking, Pretender?”

“What, a guy can’t just have a little fun?” Tim deflects, sipping his coffee. “I didn't take you for a killjoy.” 

“Yeah, well, the golden child called my last night with his panties all in a twist,” Jason pushes the issue.

Tim groans and lets his head drop to the table. “He can never just leave me  _ alone.”  _

“Come on, Tim, he’s just worried.”

Tim’s sits back up to glare at Jason. “He told you, didn’t he?”

Shit. Jason should have no better than to push this.

“...yeah.” Jason says after a lengthy pause. There’s no way to avoid it.

“I can't have one normal thing, can I? God now you're gonna treat me like a porcelain statue too. I can take care of myself,” Tim rants.

“Listen, Pretender. This does not change anything between us, okay? No matter what the hell happened between you and that Al Ghul bastard. And if you wanna talk I promise I’m not gonna start treating you like you’re a little bitch. I know you can handle yourself. You’ve proved that.”

Tim is quiet, looking at him as though he’s appraising him. 

“Are you sure?” He asks quietly. 

“I’m sure.” Jason affirms, setting down the plate of toast in front of him.

“Okay… okay,” Tim starts. “I… I haven’t told anyone this. Not even Cass knows, and she’s the one I’ve told the most. But I… I don’t remember a lot of it. It’s like. Hazy and there are parts of time I lost completely and I don’t  _ know  _ what happened. I can remember the way his breath felt against my ear and the things he said to me. I remember struggling and I remember the sick feeling in my stomach. The way he smelled. I’ve tried to remember more than that. But I’m not sure I want to. I know I should want to know what he did to me. But I think that some part of me is afraid.”

Jason pushes down his rising anger and puts a hand on Tim’s arm. “Being afraid is okay,”

Tim shakes his head, and there are tears brimming in his eyes. “No it’s not. How am I supposed to help anyone else when I can't even deal with my own problems? Bruce wanted to bench me. They still won't let me go out on my own.”

“What, you think Bruce or Dick have ever dealt with their own damn problems? You see either of them sitting on the bench? Bruce still hasn’t let go of the trauma of his parents dying thirty fucking years ago and he’s out punching criminals every god damn night.”

Tim won’t look up. “It’s not the same,” He almost whispers.

“Why not?” Jason demands.

“Because Bruce and Dick are better than me. I couldn’t even handle Ra’s by myself. I had to go crying to Cass for help.”

Jason shakes his head, cautiously placing a hand on Tim’s shoulder. “Tim. Bruce couldn’t handle shit half as well you do. And the way Dick told me the story, it sounded more like Cass accidentally stumbled across this mess. But listen kid, if you have help, which you do, then you  _ should  _ fucking use it. There’s nothing weak about that. That’s just common sense.”

Tim doesn’t respon

d and Jason sighs. “Hey, you hear me, kid?”

Tim nods. “Yeah, I hear you.” 

They sit there for a moment, silent. Tim staring at the plate of untouched toast and Jason staring at him. Eventually, Jason can’t take it anymore.

“You want to watch a movie or something, Replacement?”

Tim looks at him again, and there’s relief in his eyes. Probably relief that Jason hasn’t turned into yet another mother hen. Jason has a feeling that’s the last thing the kid needs.

He’s gonna have to have a talk with Bruce and Dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow okay this took me forever to finish writing. I wrote pretty much the whole thing in one day but I was stuck on how to end it. Please tell me what you think in the comments and follow me on tumblr at itishawkeye.tumblr.com for more fic and updates.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when things seem like they are looking up, things once again start tumbling down hill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another perspective change!  
> I was trying very hard to branch out and write some new characters with this fic and yet here I am falling back into the familiar pattern of writing from Dick Grayson's perspective.  
> Never fear, I think Cass will be back in the next chapter.

Tim returns to the manor with Jason the next day and Dick can't help the feeling of relief that spreads through him when he sees his brother. Even though he’d known that Tim was okay seeing and believing are two radically different things. He hugs Tim with an admonishment to at least call him before he decides to disappear and get drunk and ruffles his hair. Tim just rolls his eyes and let's Dick fuss over him.

Dick knows he’s being over-protective. But he keeps seeing Tim exhausted and  _ sad  _ sitting at Cass’s kitchen counter, telling him about Ra’s. And there’s something so damn familiar about that scene; some past failures that Dick is desperate not to repeat. He knows that Tim can take care of himself, but he wishes his little brother would just let him help. 

Tim heads upstairs to take a shower (he smells  _ atrocious  _ honestly, who knows what he was doing before Jason found him), and Jason’s eyes meet his with that look that says  _ we need to talk.  _ Dick nods and motions for Jason to follow him into one of the libraries where hopefully Damian won’t spy on them. He has a feeling this conversation isn’t going to be something he wants the kid to hear. 

“You need to stop micromanaging Tim.” Jason says, blunt and to the point as always.  __

“Listen, I know he doesn’t like it-” Dick starts, but Jason immediately cuts him off.

“Doesn’t like it? Dick, it’s driving the kid insane. I know you’re trying to help but I think we both know that you and Bruce trying to control what he does is the last thing he needs right now.”

Dick is silent because Jason is right and he knows that but still- “But what if he gets into trouble again? We didn’t even know, Jason. Ra’s hurt him and we didn’t even know.”

Jason reaches out and puts a hand on Dick’s shoulder. “You know Tim. You know he’s only going to push you away faster if you try to regulate him. I know you just want to protect him but this isn’t helping anything.”

“I know,” Dick says. “I know… I’m just so worried about him.”

“Yeah,” Jason replies. “I know the feeling.”

 

***

 

He finds Cass in the cave going through the files on Ra’s. He’s been elusive. There have been whispers and hints of him all across the world but nothing definitive. Dick knows that it bothers them all that they really have no idea where Ra’s is.

“Anything new?” He asks.

“No,” Cass replies, voice tight. She hasn’t been back to Tokyo since she found Tim, but she’s left a couple times to follow up on some of the more promising leads. Morocco. Kenya. France. She came back empty handed each time. 

“Any word from Bruce?” He questions. 

“He called from his hotel in Sao Paulo an hour ago. He hasn’t found anything yet.”

Dick sighs and leans heavily against the consul. “Well, Jason’s going to put his resources towards this too.” 

Cass slams her hand down on the consul and Dick jumps at the unexpected noise. He turns to look at her.

“I am tired,” She says, not looking up.

“Cass…”

“This never should have happened. We should have been able to handle it. He’s our  _ brother _ .”

“I know,” Dick says, moving closer and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I know.”

 

***

A week later, Dick heads to Tim’s apartment to meet for lunch. They’ve all been slowly moving out of the manor and back into their respective safe-house, spending a few days a week at each place, but Dick still feels uneasy. 

He knocks on the door to warn Tim that he’s coming in before he opens the door with the spare key Tim had given him. The kitchen is empty and Dick peeks around the corner into the bedroom. He immediately freezes.

There are a dozen white roses scattered across the bed and a slightly crumpled note on the floor. Dick can just make out the words:  _ I’m Still Waiting.  _

Dick feels panic build up in his stomach and heads back toward the living room.

“Tim! Where are you?” He calls.

Suddenly, the smell of vomit hits him and he turns toward the bathroom door and throws it open. And there’s Tim. Dick feels relief flood him that at least his little brother is here. Even if he’s currently leaning over the toilet puking his guts out. 

“Tim?” Dick says.

Tim looks up at him momentarily startled. He relaxes when he realized it’s Dick. Tim is never that easy to sneak up on. 

“Fuck,” Tim says. “I’m gonna need another new safe house.” 

“Are you okay?” Dick questions and Tim nods.

“I’m fine. I came home and the note was there and I freaked out a little.”

He still looks freaked out. He’s white as a ghost and shaking slightly. Dick grabs his hand and helps pull him upward.

“Come on, grab your stuff, let's get out of here.”

Dick sweeps for bugs while Tim packs a bag of essentials. He finds fourteen in total and feels a little sick. Tim does sweeps everyday he knows but he can't help but worry that they have been there longer.

His phone rings -Cass- and he answers. 

“Are you with Tim?” Cass asks, and Dick can tell by the tone of her voice that something is wrong.

“Yes.” 

“You need to get him out and to a safe place immediately,” Cass tells him.

“We’re already on our way out,” Dick informs her. “What’s wrong?”

“There was a note in my safe-house. And in the cave.” 

“There was one at Tim’s too,” Dick reports. He swallows his anger. “And a dozen roses.”

“Damn it,” Cass says. 

Tim appears at his side with a packed bag and Dick realizes he has no idea where to go. There’s likely a note just like the one Cass and Bruce found waiting in his apartment. He wonders if this was how Tim felt in the beginning: like there was nowhere left for him to go. 

They head out of the apartment anyway because if there’s one place that’s not safe it’s there. Tim pulls his hood up to cover his face and Dick throws on a hat. They toss their phones in a trash can down the street just in case and Dick thanks god he had cash on him today when they stop in a convenience store to buy a couple of cheap throwaway phones. 

“Where are we going?” Tim finally asks as they turn down yet another side street.

“Hold on,” Dick says and pulls out his new phone to text the only person he can think of that might be safe from Ra’s right now.

 

***

 

Jason is waiting for them by the door of his apartment. He ushers them in quickly and triple locks his door. 

“I did a bug sweep and nothing came up. There’s been no sign of a note,” He reports. 

“Good,” Dick says. “It looks like we are going to be stuck here for a while until Bruce can figure out something better.” 

He looks over at Tim, who is still uncharacteristically quiet, even for him. Tim doesn't talk a lot but normally he would have more questions about what’s happening. Suggestions for how to fix it. But he hasn't spoken a word since he asked where they were going. 

“We should get some rest,” Dick decides. 

Jason nods and points them into the bedroom. Tim pretty much collapses on the bed and Dick heads back out to talk to Jason, mumbling about wanting something to eat before he goes to sleep, hoping it’s enough to keep Tim from getting suspicious.

Jason is already sitting at the kitchen counter with two bowls and a box of cereal. Dick sits down across from him and pours himself a little. 

“Is he okay?” Jason asks quietly. 

“No,” Dick replies. “When I found him he’d been vomiting. He was shaking. I think he had a pretty bad panic attack.”

Jason nods. “He looked pretty tired.” 

“He was out as soon as he hit the bed.” 

They both know from experience just how much energy a panic attack can take out of you. It’s almost a blessing in disguise because Dick knows Tim hasn’t exactly been sleeping well. 

“So,” Jason says, putting his spoon back into the bowl and pushing it off to the side. “What are we going to do?”

“We have to find him. This has gone on too damn long. Bruce and Cass are calling in some help. You and I just have to keep him safe while we wait.” 

There is a loud noise from the bedroom and Jason and Dick are both up and moving in a matter of seconds. Jason slams the door open and there’s Tim, with his bag across his shoulders, halfway out the window. 

“Tim!” Dick calls grabbing him and closing the window. 

Tim struggles against the arm Dick has wrapped around him and Dick lets go, causing Tim to fall on the bed. 

“What the hell, Pretender?” Jason demands. 

“You should just let me go,” Tim says. “That way you guys won't have to deal with this anymore.”

“Tim, no,” Dick exclaims. “We are your family. This is what we’re here for. We know you would do the same thing for us.” 

“I don't have to, though,” Tim says. “You can take care of things yourself.”

“Not always,” Dick says. “I’ve been in plenty of situations where I needed help from the Titans or Bruce. Hell, I’ve even needed Superman to save my ass before. This is a hard life, Tim. Sometimes you need help.” 

Tim doesn’t say anything and Jason sighs, sitting in a chair next to his bed. 

“At least get some sleep and think about it, Kid. You look like hell,” Jason says. 

Tim nods, defeated, and throws his bag on to floor and curls into a ball, pulling the cover up over him.

Dick’s phone rings again. It’s Bruce, he steps out of the bedroom and swipes to answer.

“Hello?”

There’s a beat of silence before the deep tones of Bruce’s voice fill his ears.

“We found him,” Bruce says. “We found Ra’s.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. A bit of a cliff-hanger here. (Hopefully I will be able to update sooner this time. AP exams and finals have been murdering my ass.)  
> Sorry it's so short!  
> I hope I'm not being too repetitive with Tim's "I can handle this myself" attitude. I feel like he would be very uncomfortable with all the attention he's getting with the Batfam's help. Tim isn't a fan of being a burden. I think he's prided himself on being self-sufficient since he was kid and his parents left him to mostly raise himself.  
> Dick is kind of projecting his feelings about his own assault by Tarantula on to Tim, but he's also in denial that the assault ever happened, so that's a bit of tricky situation.  
> For updates and more fic follow me on tumblr at itishawkeye.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Haha I love starting new fics instead of finishing all of the old ones! I just really wanted to try writing Cass, but I'm not sure I did her justice. She's just too awesome for me.


End file.
